Valves and valve actuation – Biased trip – With second diverse control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2001-03-27
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Valves and valve actuation
Biased trip
With second diverse control
C251S068000, C251S074000, C251S288000, C251S292000, C137S078100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206337
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic flood control valve apparatus and more particularly to an improved mechanism for closing a normally open ball valve in a water supply system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many systems for automatically controlling a valve to interrupt the flow of different fluids and particularly the water supply in the event that flooding occurs due a leak somewhere in a water system. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,966,076, Cantrell, Oct. 12, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,970, Staranchuck, Dec. 9, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,088, Gray, Jr. Mar. 29, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,022, Franklin, Aug. 31, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,780, Franklin, Mar. 16, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,313 Sanchez, Dec. 26, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,063 Veillette, Apr. 21, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,268, Jacobson, Apr. 13, 1982. all show a normally opened valve provided in a fluid system as water, gas or air system. Sensors for detecting a leak are linked to an electrical circuit for operating a solenoid for moving a plunger which operates the valve to close it. The valve must be manually reset in order to reopen the valve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of the present invention to provide an adapter kit for rendering a ball valve operational as an automatic shut off valve. An important particularity of ball valve consists to the high rotational force initially necessary to open the valve and inversely to terminate its closing movement. The friction between the valve ball and the valve seals requires this high level of rotational force. The present invention will permit to adapt a kit specifically designed to eliminate this difficulty by providing an improved and inexpensive automatic shut off valve. A construction in accordance with the present invention comprises an apparatus for rendering as an automatic shut off valve, a ball valve with a lever member which includes an external portion extending axially outside the housing by a circular aperture and adapted to fit over the upper end of the internal portion of the lever member. The external portion of the lever member can be outwardly separated from the internal portion of the lever member to avoid eventual obstruction upon the closing movement of the valve.
A spring-loaded cable is secured to the internal lever member and provides it the sufficient torque to move one-quarter turn in a closing position. The cable passes by a system of three pulleys with the two first pulleys mounted on the base of the housing. The third pulley which is a moving pulley is fixed on one end of an extension spring which has its other end attached on an anchor-plate mounted on the base of the housing. The end of the cable, after passing around the third pulley, is secured to an anchor-base of the housing.
A valve latch mechanism is provided by a slot located in the upper end of the internal portion of the lever member and a retaining member pivotally mounted onto the base of the housing. A pair of arms extends outwardly from the retaining member with one arm engaging the slot of the lever member to retain the valve in the opened position. The second arm of the retaining member extends in the opposite position and is connected to the plunger of a solenoid device. When the solenoid is activated, the plunger is pulled downwardly thereby allowing the retaining member to release the internal portion of the lever member which, being constantly in a taut condition because the action of the spring-loaded cable, rotates one-quarter turn for the closing of the valve. The amount of rotation is restricted to 90 degrees by a stopper means having a switch to remote a signal confirming the complete closure of the valve. A compression spring is coiled around the plunger and permits the retaining member to resume its initial position after an unlatching operation.
A manual closing device permitting to close the valve without the activation of the solenoid is secured to the base of the housing and includes an horizontal guide having at one end a wall with a circular aperture and containing a compression spring coiled around a pushrod.
A shoulder on the pushrod supports the coil spring which is pressed against the wall of the guide. The pushrod has a sliding movement inside the guide and extends outwardly both sides of the guide. The guide is coaxially aligned with both the plunger of the solenoid and an aperture in the housing. Thus, one end of the pushrod extends axially towards the exterior of the housing and a force applied on it results in a direct pressure against the end of the retaining member, which is secured to the upper end of the plunger of the solenoid. Consequently, the pivoting action of the retaining member releases instantly the lever member which closes instantly the valve. Thus, the pressure is removed on the pushrod which retracts its initial position being pushed by the coil spring.
The housing of the apparatus is screwed to the base and a circular aperture in the middle of the base permits its positioning on the valve body. Two special adaptors corresponding to the size of the pipe and adapted to the dimensions of the valve are intended to be used with two adjustable clamps.These adaptors permit the lever member to be coaxially aligned with the latch mechanism. One of the advantages of the present invention is that the housing can be mounted to the most conventional ball valves. It is merely necessary to replace the handle by a lever member and secure the kit directly on the pipes with the adjustable clamps. The shut off assembly can be supplied, therefore, as a kit to adapt existing systems.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1633813 (1927-06-01), Hawley
patent: 1897000 (1933-02-01), Biery
patent: 2091465 (1937-08-01), Belknap
patent: 2114264 (1938-04-01), Heigis
patent: 3085781 (1963-04-01), Pointe
patent: 3791396 (1974-02-01), Nelson
patent: 4261379 (1981-04-01), Berry
patent: 4324268 (1982-04-01), Jacobson
patent: 4659063 (1987-04-01), Veillette et al.
patent: 4889313 (1989-12-01), Sanchez
patent: 4945579 (1990-08-01), Husting
patent: 5193780 (1993-03-01), Franklin
patent: 5205534 (1993-04-01), Giordani
patent: 5240022 (1993-08-01), Franklin
patent: 5298088 (1994-03-01), Gray, Jr.
patent: 5694970 (1997-12-01), Staranchuk
patent: 5813655 (1998-09-01), Pinchott et al.
patent: 5966076 (1999-10-01), Cantrell
patent: 5967171 (1999-10-01), Dwyer, Jr.
patent: 6073907 (2000-06-01), Schreiner, Jr. et al.
patent: 6123093 (2000-09-01), D'Antonio et al.
Keasel Eric
Shaver Kevin
Veillet, Jr. Gaston
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